Rosenbauer America, Burton's Fire Awarded Expanded CAL FIRE Contract

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has awarded Burton's Fire a second major contract for 30 additional Rosenbauer Model 34 Type 3 wildland engines, further increasing the agency's extreme-duty wildland fleet.

This contract brings CAL FIRE's overall commitment to 45 Rosenbauer Model 34 Type 3 engines, following an initial order of 15 units in 2025. In the face of an increasingly complicated and difficult fire season, the enlarged fleet supports CAL FIRE's continuous efforts to update its equipment, improve firefighter safety and bolster wildfire response capabilities.

The Model 34 Type 3 wildland engine is designed specifically for all-risk response and vigorous wildfire suppression in rough terrain and wildland–urban interface settings. In order to fulfill the needs of extended wilderness operations, Rosenbauer designed and constructed the device at its Lyons, SD, factory. It combines durability, mobility and operational efficiency.

Key features of the CAL FIRE Model 34 Type 3 include:

• Darley two-stage fire pump delivering reliable performance for extended wildland operations
• 500-gallon water tank optimized for mobile attack and sustained suppression
• International chassis engineered for off-road stability and long-duration response
• Optimized weight distribution and low center of gravity for hillside and uneven terrain
• Ergonomic compartment layouts designed for rapid access, firefighter safety, and operational efficiency

The Model 34 Type 3 is designed for quick deployment, continuous operation under extreme heat and smoke conditions and long-term operation in isolated locations.

“CAL FIRE’s continued investment in the Model 34 Type 3 reflects the operational realities firefighters face today,” said Ernie Young, western regional manager for Rosenbauer America. “These engines are designed, built, and tested for extreme-duty performance. Our team takes great pride in delivering apparatus crews can depend on season after season."

In addition to providing fire protection services to hundreds of cities, communities, and local agencies throughout California, CAL FIRE is in charge of safeguarding millions of acres of State Responsibility Area lands. Every year, the department handles hundreds of thousands of instances. CAL FIRE has been significantly involved in large-scale mutual aid deployments, major flood and storm responses and record-breaking wildfire seasons in recent years—often operating under prolonged, high-risk conditions. The department's capacity to respond swiftly, maintain operations and adjust resources when incidents worsen will be improved by the continuous increase of the Model 34 Type 3 fleet.

Throughout the entire apparatus lifetime, including specification development, engineering collaboration, production oversight, delivery and long-term service maintenance, Burton's Fire collaborates closely with CAL FIRE and Rosenbauer.

“Supporting CAL FIRE with this fleet expansion is something our entire team is grateful for,” said Blake Giles, Owner of Burton’s Fire. “CAL FIRE sets some of the highest operational standards in the fire service, and we value the trust they continue to place in Burton’s Fire and Rosenbauer. These Model 34 Type 3 engines will be working on the front lines, and we’re proud to stand behind them.”

Mike Rubach, sales engineer for Burton’s Fire, added “It is a pleasure working closely with the professionals at CAL FIRE, whose dedication ensures that the apparatus they receive meets the highest quality standards while also maintaining a strong focus on the broader mission.”